MEMOIRS OF A (Hostage) CRISIS

MEMOIRS OF A (Hostage) CRISIS
When freedom & Life is at stake!

The year 2000 and 2001 has been one of the most violent years for us. Personally, this experience has helped strengthened my self as I dealt with this unfortunate incident. I decided to write this in order not to be forgotten as the years go by.

I do not wish to bring back sad and bad memories brought by this nightmare nor enkindle again the flame of hatred by victims towards their extremist kidnappers and supporters in the government. I only wish that this must not happen again.

March 20, 2001- About 70 fully armed members of the extremist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) swooped down and attacked our remote village of Tumahubong, Sumisip, Basilan. Took over Claret High School of Tumahubong and Tumahubong Elementary School and held captives 53 school children, teachers and a Priest before fleeing to their forested hide out in Mt. Punoh Mahadje in Sampinit, Basilan.

The incident sparked a crisis. The extremist group demanded freedom for their comrades jailed in the US namely: Sheik Abdurahman Omar, Yousef Ramsi and Abu Haider; plus 2 companions imprisoned at the Basilan Provincial Jail namely: Hadjirul Ampul and Ustadz Patta, in exchange for the freedom of the remaining children hostages.

Other demands include prohibition of illegal fishing by big fishing boats in the waters of Basilan, Sulu & Tawi-Tawi; allow Muslim students to practice religious rights & obligations, and the last demand which threatens the Christians in Basilan: STOP the putting of crosses in the island.

All the demands were not met. In the ensuing battle and stand off, 5 teachers were killed including Claretian Missionary Fr. Rhoel Gallardo, cmf; 2 were beheaded as a gift to former President Erap Estrada.The children hostages were freed earlier in batches in exchange for some demands of food stuff and undetermined cash.

There were tales of horrors in the hands of the kidnappers which only the victims could divulge.

Barely a month later, on April 23, 2000; Sulu-based Abu Sayyaf Group held a lightning raid at Malaysia’s Sipadan Island Resort and took hostage 21 foreign tourists and brought them to Sulu.

A crisis of international magnitude was born. Of the hostages; 2 were French, 3 Germans, 2 South Africans, 1 Lebanese-French, 3 Finnish, 8 Malaysians and 2 Filipinos. Their demands: dollars, dollars, and dollars!

It was believed that millions of dollars in ransom was paid for the freedom of the hostages. This is biggest haul ever, and this made the terrorist group “a bunch of millionaires”. NOT ONLY the terrorist group, but also the negotiators from the Philippine government and other mediators of ransom became millionaires too.

Again there were tales of horrors committed by the kidnappers which only the victims could reveal.

I was then an insignificant writer/reporter from a government information agency when I covered these events. I even experienced being held hostage albeit for only 5 hours during the initial negotiation phase held inside a mosque at Bandang, Talipao, Sulu.

The folly of these events reflects the weakness of the government in dealing with the terrorists. What’s more disgusting and very disappointing are allegations of connections or connivance of the terrorist group with some high ranking officials in the government.

Only the hostages could reveal who they are; for they were the ones who facilitate the safe exchange of ransom from the victim’s families to the Abu Sayyaf Group.

Life and freedom has been put at stake in these two particular incidents. Three (3) of the youngest hostages in the March 20 Tumahubong Hostage-taking Incident were my nephews. Crisalyn, 4 years old, the youngest of them all celebrated her 5th birthday in the jungle hideout of the Abu Sayyaf Group.

Life and freedom is priceless and only death could take them away. Nobody, even governments or terrorist groups have the right to take this away from us.

OH PEACE, WHY ARE YOU SO ELUSIVE?

OH PEACE, WHY ARE YOU SO ELUSIVE?

I had mixed feelings when I witnessed the ceremonial signing of the Peace Accord between the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) and the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) last September 2, 1996 in Jolo, Sulu.

The gymnasium of the Mindanao State University (MSU), Jolo Campus was filled to the bleachers and still thousands others contend themselves to just sit on the ground as they listened to loudspeakers connected from the inside, blasting blow-by-blow announcement of the historic moment.

President Fidel Ramos was there to sign the Peace Accord in behalf of the GRP and Ma’as (The Elder) Nur Misuari for the MNLF. Several field commanders and pioneers of the MNLF were there also to witness this big event.

Personally, I was very happy that very moment because Peace has finally come after decades of bloodshed in my village and in Mindanao in general. And this day would be written in the pages of the country’s history as a wonderful day of Peace.

But I was mistaken; twelve (12) years after, Peace has not descended in Mindanao just as it was ought to be during that big day in September 1996. Pockets of war and conflict still remains and was made more intense when Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) was born.

Today, the GRP is struggling again to write and sign another Peace Accord with the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front). But it seems this agreement has been in limbo for the last several years.

Many really wants PEACE, no question about that. But are we willing and sincere enough to work for it? We have been scarred by several years of conflicts. Many loved ones have perished and properties destroyed.

We long for PEACE like a mother who yearns for her newborn child. Oh Peace, Why are you so elusive? Are we not worthy to have You?